Morning Coffee Aug 7

The Toronto Raptors have undergone a complete transformation in order to once again contend in the NBA. After a lackluster season last year, the Raptors are hoping the addition of some new faces can lead them back into the playoffs, and hopefully contend for a championship. Recently, the NBA schedule was released, and based on that, I have compiled the 10 key moments for the upcoming season for the Raptors.

The Toronto Raptors have been one of the busiest teams in the NBA during this years offseason making a variety of moves. President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo has been a very busy man and given the Raptors a complete makeover thus far.

Bryan Colangelo started it all off when he dealt small forward Jason Kapono to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for power forward Reggie Evans. Kapono had begun to wear out his welcome in Toronto and he never lived up to the expectations that Colangelo had for him when Colangelo signed Kapono in 2007 and really didn’t fit on the Raptors.

You spent last season as an assistant with the Memphis Grizzlies. You’ve coached the Toronto Raptors and held other NBA jobs. Think you’ll miss the pro game?

"I love the NBA. To me, it was an absolute privilege coaching there. One of the harder things in college is getting over the losses. Since you only play 35 games, your grieving period is a lot longer. In the NBA, and I’ve said this before, your grieving period lasts until you get to the locker room after the game."

Unless you’re a Cavalier freak primed to get your rocks off to a Bron Bron explosion, this will be a serious clunker. Expect Chris Bosh and his lily-white band of Euroballers to look confused, and then be abused — on the boards, in the paint, anywhere that requires a serviceable big man. This will not be a good game for basketball fans north of the border; the inevitable beatdown an early taste of a season primed for mediocrity.

Finally, both of Orlando’s visits to Toronto will be weekend matinees, as they were last season. Chris Sheridan says this time-slot will make the game a big draw in Turkey, the home country of former Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu, who signed with the Raptors this summer. Still, that doesn’t explain last year’s early tip-times.